The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-02-19

painted n huge letters II Huxi,.A ..,..|
John G~utterson, Mercer and Hshsr.
dasher:" Here the sedan bearer. hsit.
Cd and GET their burden down. Ihs
young misses sprang out, tripped hasti.
y within doors and were presently ex.
amining tho wares Of the popular
tradesman.
"Ailow mo 70 wish you . Merry val.
enune," said the polite mercer, ~ they
were ready to 90 out, having made their
purchases which an errand boy had
stored away In the sedan.
why, We don't know that we shall
have any" answered Anne, very
honestly.
'Of course you win. dear. Every
body 10 going to. and there's an extra
chance for pretty young ladies. The
drawing takes place only the next door,
and the King and all tine ladies and
gentlemen Of the court have left their
names. Your Valentine may prove =
prize"
"Oh. if I could be surew exclaimed
the girl. LAST year l drew only our
neighbours footman, and he gave me .
huge lozenge with two hearts linked by
an arrow on it."
"And I drew you, Anne, and you
gave me the lozenge," cricd Phebe,
laughing.
His Grace Of York who was once
the Valentine Of the beautiful Lady
Stuart, gave her q jewel worth over
eight hundred pounds, and Lord
Vaudeville who was her Valentine last
year. sent her a ring of about three
hundred pounds. That's a Valentine
worth having. If you villa delegate me
to draw for you. it may be that luck
will favor you," said the mercer.
"Oh, we had intended to draw, Of
course, but would as lief trust it to
you," said Anne, with a pretty flush
on her cheeks.
If Master Gutterson will be so kind,
1t might be well. He can send them
up in the morning" So the mercer
wrote their names in a little book that
he had, making a great deal Of orna-
mental work about them.
They were hardly awake next morn.
ing when there was a great clatter and
knocking at the door, and in a few
moments n of the servants ran up
with two cards on which were names,
each one accompanied by a motto. Az
each girl seized a card and read tho
name on the other side. she glanced up
with sparkling eyes.
"Guess; oh, guess" cried Phebe,
placing a hand over her cousins eyes.
"Oh, My Lord Buckingham"
mo; it is-it is-Queen Catharine.
And yours"
Anne graciously held out her card
and the girl read a name that was 70.
miliar to her-Samuel Pepys.
"Why, it's dear, good, funny Mr..
Pepys. I think we are both in luck"
As you must know there was con-
siderable difference in the observance
of Valentines Day at that time from
what it is now. A couple of hundred
years ago in England it appears that
married and single alike were liable to
be chosen as a valentine, and that a
present was invariably and necessarily
given to the choosing party. No one,
high or low, refused gift; and the day
was given to rude license, boisterous
mirth. and the giving and receiving Of
presents.
The cousins were not long getting
ready to 60 out to visit their Valen-
tines. James and Peter, the servants,
were summoned to carry the sedan, and
arrayed in their new kirtles and caps
of minnever, Alice and Phebe, with
their cards and mottoes oarofullyiwrap.
ped in q silken cover, sailed forth ia
call at Sesthing Lane and at Hampton
Court.
w must not forget to tell you how
these valentine cards looked. Alice's
was of blue paper, with the name writ.
ten in gold letters, and the motto that
went with it was "Most courteous and
most fair" a phrase that was stately
and formal enough to be used by 9
knight to his lady in the old days o.
chivalry. Phebe's card was orange
colored, the address written in silver
and the motto was, ever worthy, evel
true" It was twelve o'clock by thu
tower Of St. Paul's when the sedan ar
rived at Mr.. Pepy's mansion at Seeth'
ing Lane. As they were ushered intt
the drawing-room, the first person they
saw was stout little Pcpys, the amiablt
gossip, trotting along with his pretty
wife In q yellow satin petticoat, q Grim
son sacque and her hair in . cluster o.
long and short ringlets.